For particular purposes of application, it is desirable to secure suitcases with one another for the transportation. Different solutions exist for this purpose. On the one hand, the bottom sides of the suitcases are held to each other, and are latched with each other at the side of the handle via a pivot mechanism, whereby the two suitcases are held one against the other. On the other hand, spring-loaded clamps can be provided at a side of a suitcase, wherein the clamps are actuated by the arrangement of a further suitcase on the already present one, and then the two suitcases latch with each other. The existing latchings and lockings are expensive and error-prone. Furthermore, it is at least in part a disadvantage, that forces which occur are guided away via the lid of the suitcase and a pivot mechanism, whereby these are error-prone.
DE 39 34 760 A1 discloses a suitcase consisting of a first suitcase part and a second suitcase part. Each suitcase part is configured as a unit, which can be handled separately, is independently lockable, and has a respective lid, which is foldable about respective hinges. The two suitcase parts can be detachably connected with each other by two profile rails, which engage with each other. Furthermore, the two suitcase parts can be fixedly connected with each other by locking a lock, which co-operates with a latching part.
DE 42 01 264 A1 discloses two suitcases, each of which has a bottom part and an associated lid, wherein a respective lid is rotatable relative to the respective bottom part by a respective hinge. Each of the suitcases can be used separately, or can be integrated to form a unitarily transportable unit. For this purpose, the two suitcases can be put one upon the other, such that a stack is created. In order to ensure a correct relative position between the suitcases during the stacking, inserting-centering-means (in the form of pedestals and lid recesses co-operating with the former) are provided at the bottom of the bottom part and at the top of the lid, which are complementary relative to each other, and which are detachably insertable into each other in the stacking direction. For providing stability to the stack of suitcases, connection means are fixed at a bottom part of the respective suitcase, which connection means enable a detachable, fixed connection between the suitcases standing one upon the other.
DE 199 00 361 A1 discloses a container arrangement comprising a main container, which is similar to a suitcase, and a supplementary container, which is similar to a suitcase, each of which can be used on its own and independently from the other, but which can also be connected to a unit, which is transportable as a whole. The main container and/or the supplementary container each have a box-like bottom part and a lid part, which closes the opening pointing upwards of the main part, wherein the parts are pivotable relative to each other for uncovering a respective inner space for accommodating products. The assembled supplementary and main containers can be releasably fixedly coupled with each other by a co-operation of first connection means provided at the main container (which means may be implemented pivotably) with second connection means provided at the supplementary container, in order to be transferred between a coupling position having mutually engaged connection means and a release position, having the coupling means without engagement. Position securing means in the form of protrusions and recesses, which are provided at a base surface of the supplementary container and at a mounting surface of the main container, and which are complementary to each other, may be provided for preventing a displacing.
DE 20 2009 018 589 U1 discloses a container, which can be stacked with other containers of its type one upon the other in a vertical stacking direction. The container has a box-shaped bottom part and a lid, which closes an opening of the bottom part, and which is supported rotatably at the bottom part by pivot means. By a coupling device and an engagement device it is possible to couple suitcase-like containers, which are put one upon the other, releasably with each other such that the container arrangement consisting of the plural containers can be handled as a unit. The coupling device has a coupling means, which is supported at the lid and is movable relative to the lid, in the form of a pivot bolt, wherein the lid can be rotated in a coupling position or in a closing position. In the coupling position, the coupling means is at the same time in a coupling engagement with the bottom parts of both containers sitting on top of each other, such that the two bottom parts can no longer be moved relative to each other in the stacking direction, and thus a lifting of the upper container from the lower container is prevented. On the contrary, in the closing position, the lid is non-liftably locked with respect to the bottom part by the coupling means, such that in the closing position, a further container can be put on, and can also be taken off without hindrance from, an associated container. The engaging device is formed by a first engagement structure arranged at an upper side of a container in the form of engagement recesses, and by a second engagement structure arranged at a bottom side of the container in the form of engagement protrusions. If the engagement structures are in engagement with each other, the containers, which are set one upon the other, cannot be shifted relative to each other and are protected partially from a taking off in the stacking direction by an engaging-behind.
DE 20 2010 000 218 U1 discloses a stackable suitcase having a shell-shaped bottom part, which is open upwards, and a shell-shaped upper part, which is opened downwards, and which is hinged rotatably to the bottom part by a hinge. The suitcase has first connection elements provided in the corners of the suitcase and second connection elements provided at side surfaces of the suitcase, so as to be able to slip-proofly stack plural similar suitcases along different spatial directions and in different orientations. Complementary first connection elements may enable to stack the suitcase and a similar second suitcase one upon the other in different orientations.
Complementary second connection elements may enable to stack the suitcase and a similar second suitcase over each one of the side surfaces and in different orientations.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,219,969 B2 discloses a storage container having a drawer and a drawer housing, wherein an accommodating space for accommodating articles is formed and the drawers are divided in partitions. The drawer is mounted displaceably to the drawer housing. Furthermore, the drawer housing can be pivoted with respect to the drawer. Plural storing containers can be stacked on top of each other, and are individually accessible still then. For the stacking, an upper coupling of a lower storage container and a lower coupling of an upper storage container are transformed in a locking state. If this locking state is overcome, the storage containers can be taken off from each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,523,827 B2 discloses a stacked arrangement of sterilization housings consisting of a plurality of stacked sterilization housings. Each sterilization housing has a telescopic drawer and a pivotable lid. Handle pieces are formed at the side walls of the sterilization housings, which co-operate with pockets having cavities, so as to lock plural sterilization housings to each other in the stacked state.
US 2010/0 147 642 A1 discloses a lockable housing system consisting of a base housing and an upper housing. The base housing has a luggage receptacle and a lid, which together form a luggage compartment. Receiving ends provided at an end of linear recesses of the lid of the base housing are formed for receiving projecting ends of rails of the upper housing. Retainers are formed at the opposite end of the lid of the base housing as a part of an interlocking device, which further comprises a hook provided at the upper housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,925 A discloses a combined luggage structure consisting of a suitcase and a plugging housing, both of which can accommodate luggage. The suitcase and the plugging housing can selectively be used separately from each other, or in combination with each other. The suitcase, which can be opened by a hinge, and which can be locked in a closed state by an interlocking device, has a recess, which is defined by side walls, and which is configured to accommodate the plugging housing. For accommodating, the plugging housing is inserted into the recess of the suitcase such that rails provided at the side walls of the suitcase and corresponding channels provided at side walls of the plugging housing slide along each other and come in engagement with each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,925 A discloses a portable container for forming a stackable, locked arrangement with other containers. The container has a hollow body and a lid, which are connected pivotably with each other by a hinge. An upper wall of the lid has a spring, and a lower wall of the hollow body has a notch for taking the spring in engagement, if the two containers are stacked one upon the other.
EP 2 020 188 A1 discloses a suitcase-like container having a box-shaped lower part and an open top side, to which a container lid is associated, by which the lower part can be closed or opened by tilting. An accommodating space in the interior of the container is divided in variable compartments.
Plural containers are stackable one upon the other, and are fixedly detachably connectable with each other in the stacked, one upon the other state, such that the stacked containers form a fixedly joint unit. For this purpose, each container has plural upper connecting means, which are arranged distributedly along the circumference at its outer side in the upper portion of a container, and which are arranged adjustably in respect of their height, and has plural lower connection means, which are arranged correspondingly distributedly in its lower portion, and which are implemented as latching studs.